List of universities in the United Kingdom

This is a list of universities in the United Kingdom (alphabetical by substantive name). Below that are lists of university colleges and other recognised bodies (institutions with degree awarding powers), followed by a list of defunct institutions.

Universities alphabetically

This list follows the list of recognised bodies on the UK government website.[1] All the institutions on this list are recognised bodies with university status, indicated either by their use of university title in their name on the recognised bodies list or by reference to the Office for Students database[2] for the few universities that do not use the title in their name. Member institutions of the University of London are listed here if they hold university status.

University colleges

This is a list of university colleges in the UK. Institutions included on this list are university colleges that are recognised bodies with their own degree awarding powers;[1] it does not include institutions with "university college" in their title that are listed bodies as parts of a university (see colleges within universities in the United Kingdom), or other institutions with "university college" in their title. Separate citations are given for institutions that have been awarded university college title recently and are not yet shown under that name on the recognised bodies list or which do not use the title in their name.
Arms University Established University college status Total students Notes
University College of Estate Management 1919 2016 3,580 Reading
Application for university status approved 2025 but awaiting supplemental charter; currently using University of the Built Environment as a trading name.[20]

Member institutions of the University of London

All member institutions of the University of London are recognised bodies as institutions that have the right to grant University of London degrees. Some also hold their own degree awarding powers and, since the passing of the University of London Act 2018, can apply for university status in their own right without leaving the federal university.[21] Member institutions that are also universities in their own right are listed both here and in the list of universities above. The university was an examining board until 1900, when it became a federal university and admitted colleges as "Schools of the University".[22]

Arms University Established Joined
University
of London
Total
students (2024/25)[3]
Notes
Birkbeck, University of London 1823 1920 7,720 A university in its own right since 2023,[23] with degree awarding powers since 2012.[24]
Brunel University of London 1798 2024 12,705 A university since 1966, became a member institution of the University of London in 2024.[25]
City St George's, University of London 1834 2016 26,415 Formed in 2024 by merger of City, University of London and St George's, University of London. City became a member institution of the University of London in 2016,[26] and became a university in its own right again in 2023.
None Royal Central School of Speech and Drama 1906 2005 1,015 Degree awarding powers since 2005.[27]
None Courtauld Institute of Art 1932 2002 630
Goldsmiths, University of London 1891 1905 7,910 Became an institution owned by the university in 1905[22] and a school of the university in 1988.[28]

A university in its own right since 2024,[29] with degree awarding powers since 2013.[30]

None Institute of Cancer Research 1909 2003 370
King's College London 1829 1900 40,870 Along with University College London, one of the two colleges named in the 1836 charter as having the right to submit students for examination and an original school of the university in 1900.[22] Since 2023 a university in its own right.
None London Business School 1964 1964 2,275
London School of Economics 1895 1900 12,950 Original school of the university in 1900.[22] Since 2023 a university in its own right.
None London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine 1899 1900 945 Original school of the university in 1900.[22] Degree awarding powers since 2013.[31] Approved for university status and applying for supplemental charter in 2024/5.[32]
Queen Mary University of London 1785 1907 24,640 A university in its own right since 2023,[33] which awarded its own degrees since 2014.[34]
Royal Academy of Music 1822 1999 775 Degree awarding powers since 2012.[35]
Royal Holloway, University of London 1879 1900 13,115 Original school of the university in 1900.[22] Since 2022 a university in its own right.[36]
Royal Veterinary College 1791 1949 2,575 A university in its own right since 2023,[37] with degree awarding powers since 2009.[38]
SOAS University of London 1916 1916 6,400 A university in its own right since 2023,[39] with degree awarding powers since 2013.[40]
None University College London 1826 1900 51,315 Along with King's College London, one of the two colleges named in the 1836 charter as having the right to submit students for examination and an original school of the university in 1900.[22] A university in its own right since 2023,[41] with degree awarding powers since 2005.[42]

Other recognised bodies

This section lists other education institutions that hold their own degree awarding powers but are neither universities (or colleges of the University of London) nor university colleges.[1]

Recognised bodies that can only award foundation degrees

These institutions are recognised bodies with foundation degree awarding powers only.[1]

Defunct university institutions

This section lists defunct universities, university colleges, polytechnics and colleges of federal universities.

Foreign universities with campuses in the United Kingdom

While based in the UK, these are not considered UK universities and are not recognised as UK degree-awarding bodies by the British government unless separately listed in one of the categories above. Many are 'study abroad' centres for non-UK universities, offering a year or a semester in the UK for students enrolled at the foreign university, rather than campuses offering their own courses.

As of 1 November 2023, there are 29 "Overseas Higher Education Institutions" that have been approved for student visa purposes by the UK Government as offering "an overseas course of degree level study that's equal to a UK higher education course".[84][85] There is also one branch of an overseas university that is a "listed body", offering courses leading to a UK degree from a "registered body".[86] The following are approved overseas higher education institutions and foreign universities that are listed bodies in the UK, with their UK locations:

Universities in British Overseas Territories

Universities in British Overseas Territories are not considered UK Universities and are not recognised as UK degree-awarding bodies by the British government.[92]

Anguilla

Bermuda

Cayman Islands

Gibraltar

Montserrat

Turks and Caicos Islands

Universities in Crown Dependencies

See list of universities in the Isle of Man for university institutions on the Isle of Man. There are currently no universities in the Channel Islands; in 2013[94][95] the States of Guernsey gave approval for the opening of a university there but, as of February 2017, no progress has been made on the project.[96] The plan was cancelled in 2021.[97]

See also

References

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